Her Feenie
by ElinaLin
Summary: After spending her time in prison, Iris is finally out. Her first move is to meet the man she fell for under the disguise of Dahlia. It's funny how seven years could change a person so much... She could only hope that he was still her Feenie.


She breathed, feeling the cold October air filling her chest before she exhaled. A small smile crept its way to her lips. She was out. She was finally out.

"Be careful, Miss, it's been eight years since you last step outta there!"

"I know. Thank you for your concern."

Iris Hawthorne walked away from the tall walls that kept her captive for ten years, feeling so relaxed and free. To be honest, though, she didn't know where to go. Hazakura Temple was too far, and she didn't have the money she needed to go there. Kurain Village was the same. Besides, she had no face to show up there. How could she, after the terrible deed she had done all those years ago? Being an accomplice robbed her of her own freedom. Even now, as she felt the freedom in her skin, she knew it was fake. When people knew her past sin, she would have her freedom lost again.

Before she realized it, she found her feet leading her to the courthouse. She looked up to the grand building in front of her and forced a bitter smile. This building held such painful memory for her, being found innocent for murder but punished for other crimes here, but it was also the start of everything. This building was where Dahlia, her dear sister, met…

She lost in her own train of thoughts. Phoenix Wright. Feenie. _Her_ Feenie. Iris wondered how he was doing. Was he fine? Was he still the charming, sweet, kind and goofy gentleman she fell for? But of course he changed. She still remembered, seven years ago, she heard the news of Phoenix Wright, the ace attorney, was disbarred. She had spent three days crying over his downfall, knowing that law was his everything. She was brought for questioning, asked if he used forged evidence of a sort, but prosecutors by the names of Miles Edgeworth and Franziska von Karma testified that he didn't use any kind of forged evidence while defending her, and also when defending his clients in the case they handled together. Godot, whom she helped, also testified the same. Even another prosecutor that Iris didn't know about (called Winston Pain or something) also testified that no forged evidence was used. Except, for Godot's case, was when Phoenix used a bottle of ear medicine to trick the true guilty party to testify to his crimes. But even that couldn't be counted as a forgery.

Iris smiled when a memory of herself as Dahlia popped in her head.

_She was sitting together with Phoenix in a grass field, under the shade of a tree in the hot midsummer air. She was reading and Phoenix was sketching. The man might have law classes, but he was also an art student. And Iris had to admit, he was quite good at it._

"_Done!"_

_Phoenix's satisfied sigh made Iris turn to him. After placing a bookmark between the pages of her novel, she closed it and asked, "What were you drawing, Feenie?"_

_Phoenix blushed a little and showed her his work, somewhat shy, but his eyes hinted the proud feelings hidden underneath. Iris' eyes scanned the paper and she couldn't help but gasp._

_It was a sketch of her and Phoenix, sitting together under the very same tree they were under. Iris was wrapped in Phoenix's loving embrace, and both were sharing loving gazes. _

"_What do you think, Dollie?" Phoenix asked. Iris felt a pang of sadness, pain and jealousy when she heard the nickname Phoenix gave her. It wasn't her in that sketch. It was Dahlia. Her existence here was a lie. For Phoenix, she wasn't Iris but Dahlia. She felt the urge to tell him the truth, but instead she said, "This is so beautiful."_

_Phoenix gave her goofy, toothy grin. "I'm glad you like it!"_

"_Of course I do!" Iris quickly said. "This is just so beautiful. You really have a talent, Feenie."_

_Phoenix blushed bashfully. "T-thanks," he stuttered._

_Iris smiled at the sketch. Oh, how she wished for it to be her, not Dahlia, that Phoenix sketched. She was happy that she could spend her time here with Phoenix, but she hated that she had to lie about her own identity to do so._

"_You know what, Dollie, I've always wanted it to be like this," Phoenix suddenly exclaimed. "I've always wanted that every day is like this. Calm and relaxed and peaceful."_

"_That's what I've always wanted, too," Iris giggled. "But such simple dream is sometimes the most difficult to fulfill."_

"_I know…" Phoenix said. "And it's short-lived, too. How come next week is already the test?"_

_Iris laughed. "Don't worry. You'll be fine."_

"_But what if I mess up? What if I…"_

"_Phoenix Wright, you will be fine. Trust me."_

_Phoenix nodded, but Iris could tell that he was still doubtful._

"_Hey, Feenie," Iris called, "I… Well. When you become a lawyer years to come, will you…"_

_Phoenix smiled. "Ah, I see. Yes, Dollie. I will always be with you."_

I was saying that I want you to punish me for my sins_, Iris thought, but she didn't say it. She smiled and uttered, "Thanks."_

"_But you have to promise me the same thing too!" Phoenix said excitedly, like a little boy on a Christmas day. "Promise me that you will also be with me no matter what happens."_

_Iris was stunned. "Be… with you?"_

"_Of course!" Phoenix nodded vigorously. "Even if I own the whole world, it means nothing if you're not by my side!"_

_Iris blushed furiously. The statement was cheesy, but she knew Phoenix meant it with his all._

"_I…" Iris smiled. She nodded and said, "Of course, Feenie. We'll always be together, forever."_

_They sealed the promise with a link of their little fingers._

"Hey, Miss!"

Iris was brought back from her memory when she heard the bailiff's voice. She turned to the aging man.

"Please step aside a bit, we need to repaint the wall by your left."

"Oh," Iris muttered. She moved and said, "I'm sorry."

"It's fine, Miss," the bailiff smiled warmly to her, and she returned the smile.

Iris thought a bit, and asked the bailiff, "Excuse me… do you happen you know where the Wright Law Office is?"

* * *

Phoenix sat in his office (or his once-office, one might say), reminiscing the old days where he would sit in the very same spot, working on loads of paperwork or simply working the cogs in his brain to figure out the case he had in hand. At those times, Maya would come and disturb his line of thoughts to ask for a burger. Right, _a_ burger. She'd ask for the most expensive and the biggest burger possible and still ask for more. Sometimes he wondered if her stomach was made from rubber.

A smile crossed his lips. It was one of those rare afternoons, when both Trucy and Apollo were away, and he was left with the rare peaceful silence. He knew, however, that the silence would soon break when the siblings (not that they knew the blood relation) came back.

His hand went to his pocket and took a folded paper out. He looked at the drawing he made years ago. He had added a message, but he supposed it wasn't important anymore. He sighed. He missed those days.

A knock on his door made him turn. With a groan, he stood up, putting the sketch on the table and walked to the door. He was hoping he could spend his evening watching the Steel Samurai videos Maya sent to him when he was hospitalized and chugging down grape juice. If it was a potential client then he'd have to tell them to come again later on. Apollo wasn't in the house, after all.

When he opened the door, however, he was greeted by a surprise.

* * *

"Sister Iris."

Iris looked at the man in front of her in shock. "Mr. Wright?"she exclaimed. She wasn't sure if he was truly the Phoenix she was looking for. He looked so different compared to how he was when Iris last saw him. The beanie, the hoodie, the tattered jeans, the unshaved face, everything in him screamed hobo. And the eyes… Iris suppressed a shudder. How Iris was sad seeing those eyes. The brown hue, the previously brilliant, gleaming and glittering with excitement eyes had changed dull and bored.

"That's me," Phoenix confirmed. Iris felt her heart broke. If he didn't confirm it she'd thought that he was another man.

"You've… changed," she remarked.

"I see you haven't," Phoenix smiled. The dull eyes were outshined with a gentle glimmer, but it didn't last long. His voice held a slightly mocking tone, and Iris couldn't help but wonder why. He looked at her, at her hair and arms, the loose white shirt and black skirt that she wore, at the heeled shoes covering her feet. "Well, your outfits had changed, though," he said. He stepped back and said, "Come in. Pardon the mess."

Iris stepped in and stopped dead in her track, once again shocked, but this time it was because of the mess in the room. Magic props littering here and there, stacks of paper on top of numerous desks, and numerous pens scattered about in the room. Simply put, the room was terribly messy. "Oh my," Iris managed to utter.

"I've told you, pardon the mess," Phoenix shrugged nonchalantly. He made his way to the couch and plopped down. Iris followed his example and sat in the couch across him.

"I see you're now out," Phoenix noted.

"Yes, I have," Iris smiled. "I have to say, I never expected to things to be so different. I never thought that eight years was that long."

"Well, apparently, it is that long," Phoenix said. The prickly tone didn't escape Iris' ears, but she said nothing of it. Phoenix stared at her and asked, "How… how are you?"

Iris returned his gaze before answering, "I'm fine."

Phoenix snorted. "Iris. Don't lie."

Iris sighed. "Okay. I'm not alright. Truthfully, I didn't know where to go, and I came here because… well… I heard about your disbarment. I wanted to make sure you're okay."

"You've seen me. I'm fine."

A sad smile crossed Iris' lips. "I see."

An awkward silence hung in the air. The two exchanged glances before Iris stood up, saying, "Well, I guess I'm going…" her words stopped when she saw the paper lying on the table.

The sketch was old, the picture starting to blur because of its age. The paper was dirty. But Iris still recognized the picture. The picture of a couple sitting under a tree, hugging, and gazing lovingly. She began to tear up when she saw the message written in Phoenix's messy handwriting below:

I love you.

Phoenix to Iris

"Ah…" Iris gasped for air. The sketch, the message… it was her. It wasn't Dahlia in Phoenix's sketch, it was her. Iris.

Phoenix looked at the table and saw the sketch. He clamped his mouth shut. He let Iris cry for a while, keeping silent, looking at the sketch with almost-blank look in his face. He was hurt, inside. He missed those days. He was pretty sure Iris did, too.

When Iris finally calmed down, she took a deep breath and wiped her eyes. She forced a smile to her lips. "I'm sorry for this," she said, her voice raspy. "I will go now." She turned to the door.

"The promise all those years ago…" Phoenix muttered, stopping Iris. "I'm sorry I can't keep it."

Again, tears rolled down her cheeks. Back then, she did nothing when Dahlia attempted to kill Phoenix. Back then, she couldn't stand up to Dahlia to protect Phoenix. In the events of Hazakura Temple she did nothing but endangering the lives of the people around her. Iris wanted to make sure that now, it would be different. Now, she would do something about it.

So she turned. And she threw her body to Phoenix, enveloping him in a tight hug. He stiffened, obviously surprised.

"You can still keep it," Iris whispered to his ears. "You can stay with me. Now."

"No, Iris," Phoenix declined. "I'm not worth it."

"Yes you do," Iris said forcefully. "You were the first man to ever love me, even if the love was a mistake. You were the first man ever in my life. And you will be the last."

"Iris…" Phoenix closed his eyes. Sure, he still had lingering feelings for the girl, but he didn't deserve her. He was disgraced, and more importantly, he was no longer the person he used to be. He wasn't the man Iris fell for, years ago. "Iris, please. You… I don't deserve you."

"Don't talk to me about all those deserve and not crap," Iris gnashed her teeth. "I don't care about that. I don't care if you don't deserve me or if I don't deserve you. I only want to be with you again. To claim back those college days. Can't I have it back?" She pulled away from Phoenix, locking her eyes to his. "Can't I be selfish, just once?"

Phoenix looked away.

"Feenie," Iris called, and Phoenix tensed when he heard the old nickname. "Never once did I forget about you. Not only because you saved me in the court, but also because you saved me from my sister. Had I not meet you, I wouldn't be able to stand up for myself. And another reason was because…" she took a deep breath, "I love you."

She turned and walked away, but she stopped when she put her hand on the door. She sniffed. She couldn't cry. Why would she cry, now of all times?

Perhaps because she knew it was goodbye. Because after this, she would never see Phoenix again. She would never see her Feenie again. But it's fine. It's okay. Because she had told him her feelings.

But why did it hurt so much?

Her fingers clasped around the handle, but before she could open the door someone embraced her tightly. Iris gasped and looked back. "Feenie…?"

"Can I have another chance?" he asked quietly.

"You've always had another chance from me," Iris said. She turned and hugged him back, before lifting her head up and pulled Phoenix's down, and giving him a tender kiss on the lips. He froze in shock for a second before returning the kiss.

Finally, it was perfect. He was her Feenie once again.

The door opened and screams filled the air, though Iris and Phoenix ignored them and continued kissing.

"Mr. Wright!"

"Daddy!"

"Oh, God, why here of all places…?"

"Polly, Daddy's got a girlfriend!"

"Trucy, maybe we should go for now…"

"Daddy, is she my new Mommy?"

Maybe not so perfect, Iris thought before Phoenix's hand moved to close and lock the door, locking his adopted daughter and young apprentice outside.

* * *

A/N: finally it's done! Heh, I've always thought that PhoenixXMaya was the best until I replayed GS3 and realized that PhoenixXIris is better (for me, though) because Phoenix and Maya feels more like best friends or siblings for me. Well either way it's done now.

I've always wondered how Iris' reaction would be when she meet Phoenix again after his disbarment. But because I think she'd have to go to jail for quite a while for being an accomplice in 3-4 it ended up like this.

Oh, one thing. This is my first attempt at writing romance story, so I'm sorry if it's not so good. I still need more advice to make my writing skills better.

Well, what's done is done. Reviews would be greatly appreciated... *blinks innocently with big shiny eyes*


End file.
